UN Security Council reform

is possible.
Compromise to achieve
broad-based consensus is
needed.

Uniting for Consensus is

committed to this approach.

There is widespread agreement that comprehensive reform of

the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is in the collective
interest of Member States and the United Nations system as a
whole. Member States have put forward important ideas and
initiatives that merit consideration in our reform debate. However,
on fundamental aspects wide divergences among Member States
persist and consensus on these critical issues remains elusive.
Member States have nevertheless agreed on certain fundamental
principles. For example, the five elements of UNSC reform as
identified in GA Decision 62/557 are well understood. Equally,
many Member States, from across regional groups, have clearly
indicated that credible and viable reform of the Council requires a
comprehensive approach, addressing each of the core issue areas
simultaneously.
Our goal remains a more representative, democratic, accountable,
transparent and effective UN Security Council - one that can take
timely decisions in support of international peace and security.
To achieve this, and as we have worked in the past, text-based
negotiations must continue to be driven by Member States
themselves, based on a text that has already garnered consensus
from the entire membership. The Uniting for Consensus group
(UfC), like many others, has always supported Rev2, and believes
that it is a basis on which negotiations should commence. It is in
our collective interest and it is our collective resposibility to move
this process forward.
The 70th anniversary of the United Nations should not serve as an
artificial deadline that could ultimately constrain, or even derail
negotiations. Rather it is an important opportunity for all Member
States to recommit themselves to negotiate in good faith and in
the spirit of compromise.

In 2014, UfC announced its support for a new category of membership, based
on longer term non-permanent seats, with the possibility of an immediate
re-election to allow for fair and equitable representation and rotation.
UfC also continues to support an increase in the number of two-year nonpermanent seats.

The new category of longer term non-permanent seats and an appropriate

increase in two-year non-permanent seats could guarantee better
representation among regional groups as well as Small States, including Small
Island Developing States (SIDS). Such an increase in the membership of the
Council could also provide avenues to account for the aspirations of crossregional and sub-regional groups.
Re-election and rotation of seats would be left to the autonomous
arrangements within each regional group.

While outright abolition of the veto would be ideal, in the immediate

term our negotiations should address how to best limit the use of veto in
circumstances that include, but are not limited to, mass atrocities.

We could support a UNSC of up to 26 members in total - a Council that is more

representative of the international community as a whole while preserving
the principles of democracy and accountability to Member States.
The legitimacy of the Council depends not only - or even primarily - on its
composition, but on its transparency, accountability and effectiveness. It is
not just about who takes decisions, but most importantly the inclusive and
democratic nature of decision-making.
Transparency in the work of the Security Council should be enhanced
through, for instance, better access to information, an increase in open
briefings, and greater interaction with the General Assembly and other
interested parties, including TCCs/PCCs and regional and sub-regional
organizations.

Specific guidelines are already envisaged in the UN Charter: for

example, the requirement that the Council reports on a regular basis
to the Assembly, and through special reports on specific occasions .
The main objective of such procedures is to make executive bodies
accountable to the Assemblies that elect them. Accountability is therefore
enshrined in the Charter, and should be fully implemented.

Uniting for Consensus